Monday, February 10, 2014

What an incredible turnout for the Ladies tea and book signing at the historic Blue Willow Inn & Restaurant give for me this past Saturday! The weather was perfect too. The ladies that work there out did themselves and treated me like a royal. We had 60 people buy a ticket and then there was a waiting list.

THE BLUE WILLOW RESTURANT & INN

I love the stately structure and always feel like I've stepped back in time. I was in Blue Willow Heaven! Many know of my love for blue willow dishes and how that all got started when I was a little girl. My brother and his wife gave me a blue willow tea set for Christmas.

When I saw the decorated room where the ladies tea would be held, I couldn't help but feel very honored. Miss Billie has a great staff and they worked hard to make this tea and signing a great success.

Me and Miss Billie-owner of The Blue Willow Restaurant & Inn

Our very own bride, Makensy, directing the ladies upstairs. Isn't she a doll?

Wonderful smells led me upstairs where I met Miss Billie and her staff. They spared no expense with the dining area. It was so pretty that I didn't want to even place my water glass down for fear the glass would leave a water ring on the beautiful blue fabric covered table.

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Each of the place settings had a key chain holding a magnolia charm, a southern belle, and a charm of the Inn hooked onto the napkin. Our delicious menu consisted of Chicken salad, Croissants, Quiche, Cucumber salad sandwiches, Broccoli salad (that was wonderful),frozen desserts, an array of dessert squares, tea/Lemonade, mints and nuts and coffee. How perfect!

The sideboard laden with giveaways and of course my books!

Desserts

Me speaking to the ladies

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Drawing names for fun prizes! I gave blue willow tea cup and saucer, a box of tea, cookies from Holland and for-get-me-knot seeds. One bag I gave away had a bibliophile's journal. I'm not sure what the staff gave out as I was too busy calling out names. Miss Billie like my gift to her --The Heart of the West Series

She won The Blue Willow Cookbook! I have it and it's a beautiful book.

Carol is a bundle of energy!

The charms-beautiful~!

Love the ladies in their hats!

Signing my books

As you can tell this was a wonderful, fun-filled afternoon and I gained new friends and readers.

Many at the end of my talk, asked a lot of good questions. I believe Miss Billie said they will start having a tea once a year. She was so delightful to talk with and hear some of the stories of the years she and her husband had at the Blue Willow Inn. Her husband Louis is smiling down from heaven and how well she has carried on with her supportive staff and surely he is proud, as I am to have met her.

What a wonderful day that I'll never forget. Thank you Blue Willow Inn folks. See you soon for some friend okra, catfish and banana pudding!

If you're ever in GA please go by the Blue Willow Inn in Social Circle, GA!

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Southern Writers Magazine

Maggie Brendan: Belle of the Books Nov/Dec 2013 issue

A 4-Star Review!

The final book in the beautifully written Blue Willow Brides series centers on another Olsen sister, Anna. The characters are lovely, endearing and well thought out. The storyline flows evenly throughout the book with twists along the way. Brendan continues to give fans of historical romance everything they have come to expect, with the addition of some surprises they didn't see coming. --Romantic Times Review

PERFECTLY MATCHED

BOOK THREE

TWICE PROMISED

BOOK TWO

DEEPLY DEVOTED

BOOK ONE

From Romantic Times...

FROM ROMANTIC TIMES REVIEW- 4 stars

Two mail-order brides, one groom and a few misunderstandings collide in the second blue Willow Brides book. Brendan's characters are witty, charming and fun to be around, and she brings her trademark writing style to the Wild West.

Then Book summary:

In 1888 Central City, CO, Greta Olson is determined to be happy as a mail-order bride to Jess Gifford. Then she learns that another woman, Cora Johnson, has answered the same ad. She is certain Jess didn't place the ad. Jess knows that his brother, Zach, placed the ad and he's furious.

Zach and Jess will have to decide which woman each wants to marry-- but surprises await them when the women have their own opinions. --Patsy Glans

Praise for Deeply Devoted...

Maggie Brendan has done it again—stolen my heart with a love story that left me breathless. As gentle as a prairie breeze and as delicate as the Blue Willow china for which the series is named, Deeply Devoted is a tender and haunting tale that stirs heart and soul—deeply—well beyond the last page. -- Julie Lessman, Best Selling Author of Daughter of Boston series

Brendan, Maggie. Deeply Devoted. Revell. (Blue Willow Brides, Bk. 1). Sept. 2011. c.352p. ISBN 9780800734626. pap. $14.99. CF Instead of choosing the young lady his mother has picked for him, Peter Andersen sends to Amsterdam for a mail-order bride in this new series by Brendan (“Heart of the West” series). Catharine Olsen arrives in Cheyenne, WY, with her mother’s china and her two sisters in tow. Peter is patient not only with Catharine but with her sisters. However, as the two begin their life together on the wheat farm, Peter’s mother will go to any length to see her son’s marriage destroyed. VERDICT This novel should appeal to fans of Lori Wick who enjoy a gentle romance with a Western twist as well as those who like reading about cultural clashes. --LibraryJournal.com

BOOK 2 IN HEART OF THE WEST

BOOK 1 IN HEART OF THE WEST

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About Me

Maggie Brendan

Welcome and thank you for stopping by. I appreciate your interest in my books.

I can’t ever remember a time when I didn’t want to write. Each time I entered our small town library or school library, I’d breathed in the musky, smell and ink of books the way someone would sniffed perfume. I loved that I could be “somewhere” else in a manner of moments just from reading….so it was as natural as breathing for me to create stories. I wrote my 1st book The Silver Crown, in third grade when my sweet teacher saw me writing during my free time and supplied me with paper. Quickly, I wrote another story—Mystery at Nubbins Ridge in 5th grade, unpublished, of course! In 10th grade biology class, as school as I finished my projects, I handed them to my girlfriend to read for feedback.

I still have the first story written in my longhand with a green construction paper for binding, and it looks pitiful. Inspiration and encouragement came early on from my late brother Gary. He nudged me in to the world of writing. Under the pen name of Jess McCreede, Gary wrote seven novels. One of my greatest pleasures comes from finishing a book. Another joy is receiving feedback from readers who share with me how much they enjoyed my books, and their anticipation for the next one. My readers are wonderful blessings to me, and hearing such sweet words from them is what makes me strive to make each story better than the last.

Although I’m definitely a Southern Belle, I loved reading Zane Grey novels, and found myself curious about the state of Colorado and the West. When we were a young couple, my husband, three month old baby girl and I, relocated to Colorado for a better job opportunity. It was my dream to live out West. That’s how I came to be so fond of everything western! My books are definitely inspirational with a faith theme woven into all of my stories through the characters as they face life's decisions.

If my stories have blessed you or encourage you in your faith, please write to me or post a message on my blog.